Windows 10: Random BSOD on Desktop

The title says it all, I had a web browser open and discord just sitting on the desktop as usual and the Blue screen randomly happened. I have recently installed Windows 10 within a month and I never had any issues before so I'm not too sure what caused it.

:)

 

Random BSOD while browsing internet


BitDefender is nothing special. mwac.sys causes BSODs anywhere.
A tiny documentation can be found here: Solved Random BSODs - Windows 10 Forums
In that very thread, the suggested action apparently worked.

The storage and network filters of any third party antivirus can cause BSODs. Neither MBAM nor BitDefender is any special. For a regular antivirus, it may be shifted to an alternative; but MBAM has no alternative. So a clean install of the said program is the most feasible first step.
As far as the first step is not failing, it is better to not think for the second step. Because the BSODs are not universal, failure at the first step is not universal; and success at the second step is also not universal.
That is why I posted that my suggestion may work, or may not. Let us see where it goes.

 

Random BSOD while browsing internet

Sorry, Bitdefender is a problem: BSOD BAD_POOL_HEADER - mwac.sys - Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Help - Malwarebytes Forums

 

Random BSOD errors

Background

• Whilst only bought recently, my laptop (Dell XPS 9560) has a history with random BSOD errors that tend to increase in frequency with time until the laptop becomes unusable.
• The laptop was given a fresh format and installation recently.
• Software installed – Installed Windows 10, Office, Winrar, Adobe Reader, Visual Studio 2015, SQL Server, Chrome, DropBox, Google Backup and Sync
• Within two weeks it reverted to giving BSOD errors.
  • Dumps from c:\windows\minidump available at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4nizlhthje2pgwy/AACsu3GSgMBEN435XlRvOdi3a?dl=0

Symptoms

• Random BSOD errors
  • Page fault in non-paged area (NTFS.sys)
  • IRQL not less than or equal
• Backup and Sync crashes very regularly (no user friendly message, just googledrivesync.exe has stopped working)

• Chrome crashes quite regularly (ah snap! message). This happened both before and after the format.
• Windows Update fails

Things I tried

• Uninstalling and re-installing Chrome and Backup & Sync
• Downloaded and installed Dell Updates
  • Specifically a BIOS update (installed successfully)
• Ran Dell Diagnostics (at boot time)
  • No issues found
• Ran Dell SupportAssist Hardware Checkup
  • Succeeded
• Windows Update
  • In Normal Mode: Message shows up indicating that the system is not up to date. Upon clicking Check for Updates, updates seem to download but then quit abruptly during installation. Same error indicating system is not up to date shows.
  • In Safe Mode: Upon clicking Check for Updates the Windows Update window closes abruptly.
• sfc /scannow
  • In Normal Mode: Error at 3%: Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation
  • In Safe Mode: Ran successfully, no violations found
• Chkdsk /f c:
  • Ran successfully
• Windows Memory Diagnostic
  • Succeeded
• MemTest86 (more advanced memory test)
  • Freezes mid-way (tried twice)
• Ran Dell SupportAssist Drivers and Downloads
  • BIOS update
  • Network driver (Intel 8265) – Failed. Installed separately through device manager.
• Step #9 seems to have solved some of the issues:
  • Windows update succeeded (#4)
  • Sfc /scannow succeeded in normal mode (#5)
  • BSOD errors persisted though (091317-8562-01.dmp occurred after the update)

Thing I did not try

• Eliminating hardware (e.g., memory stick)
• Running Driver verifier

***Post moved by the moderator to the appropriate forum category.***